Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

After Yi Zhonghai returned to the workshop, Jia Dongxu immediately greeted him with a smile, laughing and joking:

"Master, how did your work report with the factory manager go? Did they say when you'd be promoted?"

Faced with his apprentice's joking greeting, Yi Zhonghai smiled and shook his head impassively.

"What promotion? I've only been in this position for a short time. It's not that easy. I just reported the basic work and tasks of our workshop to the factory manager."

"The factory is going to expand again, and soon a large number of apprentices will come to our workshop, making our work even busier."

Hearing his master say this, Jia Dongxu's eyes lit up:

"Sir, how about letting my wife work at the factory?"

"Her household registration is in the countryside, and so are her children's. They don't have food coupons, so they have to eat expensive food every month."

"It's okay now that the child is young, but I'm afraid I won't be able to handle him when he gets older."

Jia Dongxu's concerns about the future are not without reason and are well-founded.

The reason he asked was to ask his master for help. As a level 3 fitter, how could Jia Dongxu be qualified to work at a station? He had to rely on his master to help.

After listening, Yi Zhonghai pondered for a long time before finally speaking:

"Dongxu, getting a workstation isn't difficult; I can arrange it. But your mother needs to agree. Can she manage to take care of two kids at home?"

"You also have to take care of housework. Having another helper in the family is certainly a good thing, but you need to discuss it beforehand."

"Let me know when you've discussed it, and I'll take care of it."

Seeing that his master readily agreed, Jia Dongxu did not smile; instead, his brows furrowed slightly.

He really needs to convince his mother.

His wife, Tong Jie, is practically obsessed with becoming a factory worker.

That's the glorious working class, who wouldn't yearn for it?

Moreover, their family could easily obtain a workstation through their mentor, Yi Zhonghai.

Don't underestimate Yi Zhonghai's abilities as an eighth-level fitter and deputy workshop director. He really can do it; he's not just bragging.

Jia Dongxu was thinking about his unruly mother, and he was speechless when he talked about her.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 10 ...

Sometimes they're smarter than a ghost when they're acting normally, and dumber than a pig when they're acting abnormally; they're polar opposites.

The master had mentioned before that his wife could participate, and he was capable of doing so.

My mother disagreed, saying she couldn't manage it all by herself at home.

God the hell can't handle it? How can you not handle taking care of two kids and doing some housework?

I just want to be lazy. I've gained over ten pounds in the last few years.

Jia Dongxu felt that he couldn't spoil her this time; he had to let his wife work in the factory.

Although you start as an apprentice when you first enter the factory, it depends on which apprentice you are.

The factory now has a new rule: fitters, blacksmiths, and canteen apprentices will receive 18.5 yuan for the first three months.

Three months later it's 23.5, and a full year later it's 27.5.

27.5 is enough for the Jia family's living expenses for a month, and there's still some left over.

Why refuse such a good thing?

It's just that his mother is a bit clueless.

They felt their family was doing well enough and didn't want their daughter-in-law to work in a factory, otherwise no one would help her with household chores.

Let's leave the Jia family's affairs aside for now; Li Jiuzhou is extremely busy.

His office is bustling with people every day.

The people who came were all leaders and cadres of various ranks in the factory.

The purpose of their visit was simple: they wanted to introduce their relatives to learn a skill at the canteen.

If you were to ask which job at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill is the most sought-after, the answer would undoubtedly be the canteen cook.

Although I was an apprentice after entering the factory, I couldn't resist Li Jiuzhou's serious teaching!

You think Red Star's 25 dishes are just a boast?

That reputation was earned through the hard work and dedication of hundreds of thousands, even millions, of workers in Beiping.

In the steel rolling mill canteen, you can learn a skill directly without having to become an apprentice.

Of course, the selection process is very strict; if someone tries to cheat or slack off while working in the cafeteria, they will be fired immediately.

Damn it, I gave you a free lesson and you still kept whining. Even without Li Jiuzhou's intervention, the leaders would have already taken action. They absolutely wouldn't allow someone like that to exist.

So it's extremely difficult to get a job in the kitchen of a steel rolling mill!

Otherwise, the leaders wouldn't have gone to Li Jiuzhou and offered him gifts.

Li Jiuzhou wasn't bothered by these leaders visiting him; he accepted all the gifts they offered.

The workstation is given to whomever you want; the right thing to do is to build good relationships with your colleagues, and that doesn't violate any rules.

Li Jiuzhou has already reserved the workstations for those in need; the rest can be used to do favors.

The people they asked were all young men, the sons and nephews of the leaders, perfect for apprenticeships, so Li Jiuzhou had no reason to refuse.

Some people wanted Li Jiuzhou or Sha Zhu to take them as disciples, but he simply refused.

He left no room for negotiation whatsoever. It's a joke. Without proper evaluation, Li Jiuzhou wouldn't even give him a second glance, let alone accept him as a disciple.

Even Secretary Nie personally intervened, wanting one of his distant relatives to become Li Jiuzhou's apprentice.

Since Secretary Nie had to be given face, Li Jiuzhou didn't refuse outright. He only said he would take extra care of his distant relative and speed up his learning process. As for whether he would take on an apprentice, that would depend on fate.

Li Jiuzhou's words were very much to Secretary Nie's liking.

Before becoming a Taoist priest, Secretary Nie was a believer in fate.

Secretary Nie, the Japanese soldier who died at his hands back then, believed it was all arranged by fate, and he showed no mercy when killing them.

Even after it's all over, they'll mutter "Amitabha" to pray for the deceased.

I would never dare to utter the name of the Boundless Heavenly Venerable, for that would expose my identity.

Because of that phrase "Amitabha," Secretary Nie earned a nickname on the battlefield: "The Monk!"

He perfectly concealed his identity!

Since Li Jiuzhou has said so, then it all depends on the luck of the relatives who choose the house.

If Li Jiuzhou really accepts me as his disciple, then my career will take off.

Li Jiuzhou isn't just a cook; he's also a division-level cadre in the factory.

With such a mentor, how could one fear a bleak future?

All Secretary Nie could do was arrange administrative positions for those from families with the ability to attend school, and assign workers to those without education.

He's done everything he could to arrange things, so he's done all he could.

The canteen is still under construction, but it has already taken in 30 apprentices, all of whom are people with connections.

The experienced cooks in the canteen won't tolerate these people who have connections.

If they don't listen, you scold them; sometimes getting a couple of flicks on the head is normal.

If you want to learn a skill, you need to get the attitude right; if you don't want to learn, then get lost!

Without Li Jiuzhou and Sha Zhu lifting a finger, the masters easily subdued the group of new apprentices.

That day, an unexpected person came to Li Jiuzhou's office: Director Wang from the Nanluoguxiang Subdistrict Office.

"Jiuzhou, I won't ask, you tell me yourself, how many slots do you want for the cafeteria?" Director Wang asked with a smile.

Li Jiuzhou wanted to laugh, but he couldn't refuse, since his wife was still working for her.

He usually takes good care of Bingbing.

Both morally and logically, Li Jiuzhou should give Director Wang a few spots.

Li Jiuzhou was very enthusiastic towards Director Wang:

"Oh, my dear Sister Wang, I can't do without you, I've already prepared everything for you."

"Ten spots available: five kitchen helpers and five chef apprentices."

"How you arrange it is your business."

"But Sister Wang, let me make this clear beforehand: if you come to my cafeteria and don't behave well, you won't stay long..."

After hearing this, Director Wang's expression also turned serious, and he said:

"Jiuzhou, I know that. Your factory's kitchen is notoriously difficult to get into. If the people I recommend mess things up, I'll personally bring them back without you even having to say a word."

"How can we miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Absolutely not!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jiuzhou smiled:

"I trust anyone you recommend, Sister Wang!"